Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-08-02
TWICE TEN YEARS. !
Written for this paper. ]


Written for this psper.l
remember it all as well as If it were yes
torday. The carriage stood at the door that
was to take me back to school for the spring
term. Ny mother gave me innumerable in
structions, smoothed my collar and adjusted
my cap on my head properly, then gave me
a kiss and stood looking wistfully at me as
went down the walk and got into the car
rage.
A month or two later-it was June, think
after hard struggle one afternoon with
some figures. all about a ship and q cargo
and the profit and all that, went out to join
the boys. When reached the play ground
they were gone, and there was nothing for
me to do but amuse myself as best could.
l strolled around the house with my hands in
my pockets, which my mother had told me
distinctly l must not do; and suddenly re-
membering her instructions took them out
again, and for want Of better amusement
began to whistle.
Next to the school there was a pretty cot
tage separated from the school house by a
board fence. The two houses we're not 100
feet apart, and could look right through
under the trees; and there on the croquet
ground stood girl, a trifle younger than my
self, looking straight at me.
A boy who sees a girl looking at him feels
very queer; remember that very well. My
hands went right into my pockets, but re-
membering that was not the correct thing to
do in the presence of a girl, took them
directly out again. Then l concluded that it
would be a good way to show how little
IA rra Ixyf
my heel, movement on which greatly
prided myself. After that don't remem-
ber now, it was SO long ago, what new capers
cut; but one thing is very certain: it was not
long before was hdnting for something l
pretended to have lost in the grass beside the
fence
IF it's your knife you've lost,"I heard a
voice say, "it isn't there. picked up knife
there a week ago, but it was all rusty and no
good"
ooh, never mind,"I said, looking up into
two eyes away back in a sunbonnet, and pre-
varicating, sit wasn't much Of a knife, any
way, and I've got another"
"Are you one Of the boys at the schoolm
eyes"
"What reader are you ina" 1.-THE Fourth"
DO you study geography" "Yes."
WHAT'S the capital of the United States?"
l scratched my head. 81 don't remember
that" l admitted reluctantly. SIN first rate
on capitals, but l don't remember that one"
"Why didn't you go off with the boys"
II was behind with my sums. l expect
they've gone to the river / like the woods
pretty WELL they're full Of squirrels"
"And snakes" she added. =.
"Pm not afraid of snakes"
"And lizards"
"Nor lizards. / suppose you're afraid to 20
there"
mo, I'm not"
"lf you want to go there now, and are
afraid, don't mind going along, just to keep
off snakes and things"
She looked out at the woods can see the
slender, childish figure now, leaning on the
croquet mallet deliberating-if such a men
tai process can be called deliberations when
the conclusion is predetermined-and long
to be back twenty years, and fold it in my
arms Suddenly, without any warning, she
dropped the mallet and started for the wood
We had not penetrated far into its quiet
depths, when the little girl stopped, and look
ing earnestly at me with her expressive eyes,
sad:
GLOW still it is in here! It seems to me !
can almost hear it be still"
"Yes, it is pretty solemn" replied. "Let's
go on; the river winds around down there,
and we can see the water go over the dam"
We emerged from the wood, and stood by
the river. l was familiar-wiJh the ground
and led my little friend directly to the dam.
Most Of the boys are afraid to walk out on
that DAM" said.
"Pd be afraid"
"But you're only girl; boy oughtn't to
be afraid" With that I started boldly out.
occasionally standing on one foot, and per.
sundry antics to show what brave
boy was. Then came part way back and
called to her to come.
"Oh no." she said, Pm afraid"
afraid! You little goose! with me to hold
on ton
Betwixt her fear and disposition pliable
to boy older and stronger than herself, it
was not long before was leading her out on
The dam.
Don't you see it's nothing?" said.
She shrunk back us led her along. l de-
that she should 60 to point where
the water poured over a portion of the dam
over than the rest. In vain she hung back.
N vain she pleaded with her voice and with
ler eyes to go no further. l had determined
20 take her with me- and did,
"There, you see it's easy enough when YOU
,nce make up your mind to it."
We were standing looking out on the NOV
ng waters. They had very distressing ef
ect on Julia. She looked dazed, and held ON
20 my arm in childish terror.
at makes me dizzy" she said.
Let me step up on this post and then YOU
IAN hold on to my hand"
l turned my back to step up on the post. 1t
vas but moment. l heard a cry and saw |